Sat 16 July, 11:00
Report: Yorkshire Vikings v Lancashire Lightning, Finals Day
Lancashire Lightning booked their place in the Vitality Blast final with a rock-solid six-wicket semi-final win over Roses rivals Yorkshire Vikings at a packed Edgbaston.
Lightning will face Hampshire Hawks or Somerset in the final at 6.30pm this evening after pacing a potentially difficult chase perfectly in the Birmingham sunshine.
Vikings posted a meaty 204 for seven thanks to Tom Kohler-Cadmore, whose 66 (44 balls) held the early innings together, and Jordan Thompson, whose brutal 50 from 18 balls in the closing overs included six sixes.
Lightning’s pursuit was then given a vivid launchpad by Phil Salt (36, 15 balls) before Keaton Jennings (75, 51) and Dane Vilas (63 not out, 36) added 112 in 69 balls for the third wicket to seal their side’s passage. Vilas crowned the victory with a six to tae his side to 208 for four from 18.4 overs.
After choosing to bat, Vikings lost Adam Lyth, caught at deep point off Luke Wood, in the first over but liftoff came in the fourth with four successive fours for Kohler-Cadmore off Richard Gleeson.
Kohler-Cadmore and Dawid Malan (33, 22 balls) added 61 in 35 balls before the latter was bowled trying to force Matt Parkinson through the covers. The Lightning spinners then imposed a squeeze, conceding 21 from four overs (seven to 10) and adding the wicket of Harry Brook who played on to Luke Wells.
Kohler-Cadmore reached his 26th T20 half-century before he was bowled middle stump by Wells. Impetus was then added by a stand of 74 in 29 balls between Shadab Khan (34, 24 balls) and Thompson whose 17-ball half-century included a blitz of five sixes in seven balls off Danny Lamb and Gleeson.
In reply, Lightning stormed to 50 in 21 balls after the third over, from Matthew Revis, went for 29. That over also brought the end of Salt, who edged behind, but some clean hitting from Jennings and a violent cameo from Steven Croft (14, five balls) kept the momentum high. Lightning ended the powerplay powerfully place on 89 for two.
Jennings and Vilas advanced with unhurried composure, working the ball skilfully around the big field to keep on top of the chase. Jennings reached 50, his seventh in T20, from 30 balls and the last five overs arrived with 41 needed and eight wickets in hand.
Fifteen from the first of those, from Lyth, pretty much settled the matter and, though Jennings lifted Drakes to mid on, Lancashire skipper Vilas steered his side safely through with eight balls to spare.